The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-10-10
Farming That Does Not Paw


Mr. James /. Baird, writing to the Indiana
Farmer, says very prevalent but errone-
ous idea exists among cultivators of the soil
TO the effect that progressive farming, in
the main, is to spread widely over ground,
covering many hills and dales, with but
secondary concern how its fertility is to be
preserved, or improved, or how to make the
most out of the soil while it is passing away.
1t is this spreading-over-ground manner of
farming that is the cause. the chief cause
of 50 many prematurelv wornout farms.
Too many acres badly cultivated is as ex-
hausting to the soil as the drain upon it by
the crops themselves. Imperfect cultiva-
ton is shallow blowing, want of rest or
rotation of crops, green manuring and more
of the products fed to stock on the farm and
returned to the soil in the form of manures.
The sun exhales, the wind dissipates and the
rains wash away a large per cent. of the
fertility at best, and where farms are cult
waited just enough, as it were, to keep them
well exposed to these influences, it can but
increase the loss of fertility.
Some weeks ago the writer visited large
farm that only thirty years ago lay buried
in primeval forests, and though it lies well
and was once very fertile, it is to-day
scarcely worth ultivating-literally run
down" The process of shallow blowing,
cropping one product without change, pas
turing closely, stock mostly sold off from the
farm, with but little, if any, of the pro-
ducts fed on it, or returned to it, is what
did the work for it. And the present crop
of corn growing on it is as sickly and faded
as Byrons ''sere and yellow leaf 1t won't
paw for its cultivation This farm and its
treatment is only one instance of many
farms on which the manner of farming is
practiced throughout the country.
Another instance just the reverse of the
foregoing is given to show how farm may
be kept up or may be restored when down.
The farm contains about 80 acres embo-
somed among high hills, with deep diverg-
ing dales surrounding. The soil is thin
and sandy loan. The leveler portions of
the hilltop were cleared, portion after por-
ton; these were when cleared planted to
corn, with some manure in the hill, then
sown to wheat in the fall, with some top
dressing of barnyard manure; then in the
spring clover and grass were sown. The
clover was let remain for three or four
years, till the field was needed for grain,
with some pasturing; then was turned I'M
der-often two falls in succession-then
planted to corn, followed by wheat and
clover and grass in the spring, as before;
only now the first growth was cut and
cured, and the second was pastured to some
extent, after which it was turned under
when desired for grain. The steep hillsides
were cleared and sown in grass for pastur-
ing and were seldom broken save to reno
vate the sward The farmer kept conside-
rable stock, especially of cattle, sheep and
hogs. thereby converted much forage into
manure which was returned to the fields.
His neighbors could not boast such fine cat
tie or hogs, nor so neat, well-arranged,
well-kept and healthy a farm. He raised
family on it; trebled its original value and
sold it to one having more money than
farming skill, and to-day the farm is almost
sunken to its original sterility.